Aerocool’s Strike-X GT Black Edition has a lot of features that enthusiasts look for in a case. Better yet, it even has a few features that you didn’t know to look for but make a big difference in how you use this case.
The “GT” stands for Gaming Tower, and this case looks every bit the part. It has a matte black finish inside and out, with glossy black mesh on the top, side, and front panels. Splashes of red accent this case on the front panel logo, perforated expansion slot covers, LED fans, top-panel LEDs, and tool-less 5.25-inch bay locks. The “X” logo appears on the front and top panels, and the case has a quartet of folding feet for added stability. We also liked the folding side panel grips, which makes removing these panels a cinch. Speaking of accessibility, The Strike-X GT has a removable top panel, which pops off to give you direct access to mounting holes for a pair of 120mm or 140mm fans.
The spec sheet for this case reads like an enthusiast’s wish list; there’s room for high-end graphics cards up to 11.6 inches long, a foam grommet around the PSU opening to reduce vibration and sound, the aforementioned tool-less 5.25-inch bay locks, a trio of USB 2.0 ports on the top panel, a USB 3.0 top panel port (via a pass-through cable that plugs into the rear I/O panel), a large CPU cutout in the motherboard tray for easy access to the cooler backplate, rubber-grommeted holes in the motherboard tray for hiding PSU cables, thumbscrews everywhere you look, a built-in dust filter in the bottom of the case, and grommeted holes in the back panel to support an external radiator for a liquid-cooling system.
Cooling on this case consists of a pair of 120mm red LED fans, one in the front panel and an exhaust fan near the rear I/O panel. You can install a second 120mm fan in the front panel, two more in the side panel, one 120mm/140mm fan in the bottom panel, and two 120mm/140mm fans in the top. If you’re running an enthusiast graphics card, you’ll be pleased to notice the side-panel fan mounts feature noise-dampening grommets.
But your cooling and expansion options don’t stop there. One of the neatest features of the Strike-X GT Black Edition is the handful of converter brackets. This case ships with six of these versatile storage bay brackets that slide into any of the 5.25-inch bays either vertically or horizontally. Each one can accommodate a 2.5-inch or 3.5-inch drive. You can also mount a 120mm fan to the opposite side of the vented bracket for dedicated cooling.Although you won’t be able to fit six 3.5-inch HDDs each with a dedicated fan into this system, there’s no reason these unique bays won’t work in your other cases. You can also keep air moving front to back by mounting a bracket vertically. And if you need it, there’s an extra SSD mount in the bottom panel.
If you’re a gamer looking for a striking and versatile midtower you’d be proud to show off at your next LAN party, look no further than the Strike-X GT Black Edition.
[amzn_product_inline asin=’B005Y24XYI’]